


Sludge Pies

by Astronut



Series: Antilles Family Antics [4]
Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: X-Wing Series - Aaron Allston & Michael Stackpole
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:28:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23724598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astronut/pseuds/Astronut
Summary: A day at the beach is interrupted by news.
Relationships: Iella Wessiri Antilles/Wedge Antilles
Series: Antilles Family Antics [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1708819
Kudos: 10





	Sludge Pies

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not repost without permission.

Making Sludge Pies

16 ABY

A warm tropical breeze blew along the white sandy beach, tousling Wedge’s dark hair as he rocked lazily in woven sling seat. The white capped waves steadily rushed and gushed as they swept the sparking sand. Over the din, Wedge could hear his wife’s melodic voice. “Pattty cake, patty cake, baker's man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can. Pat it and prick it and mark it with S, and put it in the oven for Syal and me.” It was followed by a squeal of piercing giggles as the small child perched in his wife’s lap slapped at the wet sand and then threw bits of it at the receding water. The blonde woman glanced up at her reclining husband and smiled warmly. 

Inadvertently, a wide grin spread across his own features. A long time ago, the destruction of his parents and childhood had convinced him that this moment would never be his to enjoy. He had long ago stopped imagining himself with a family, but yet, here he was; on vacation with his wife and daughter. 

“You know, if you keep grinning like that, your face might just stick that way, and then how will you scare the Rogues in to doing your bidding?” 

Wedge broke the light trance he had fell into and playfully scowled at his wife. “The same way I keep you in line!” 

Iella picked up Syal and strolled towards Wedge, hips swaying. “You mean by letting me have my way because you know you’ll loose?” 

Wedge took his daughter into his lap as Iella leaned in for a kiss. “Something like that.” As they broke for air, Wedge murmured in her ear. “Why don’t we leave Syal with Reina and enjoy a little alone time?” 

“You’re on, flyboy.” 

***

Wedge awoke early the next morning. His back aching from being in bed so long, he chose to leave Iella to her slumber as he sought out his morning cup of caff and attempted a few half-hearted stretches. After a quick check to make sure Syal was still sleeping, he settled down in the living room with his caff and datapad. Flipping the pad on, he instructed it to seek out the headlines of the day from the Holonet News Association. He idly perused the selection of political posturing, celebrity gossip, and tech briefs until a particularly lurid headline caught his attention:

**_ Exclusive: Traitor’s Tryst Triangle! New Evidence Unearthed! _ **

Under it was a picture of Syal, digging in the glittering sand. Anger rising, he forced himself to read the text below. 

_General Wedge Antilles of Rogue Squadron, Age 37, and his family were spotted enjoying the singing sand beaches of Chandrilla. While questions remain on why he and his family chose to vacation on what his rumored to be his former lover’s estate (Reina Faleur, Age 40, see bio pg.8), photos of the respite reveal a deeper secret. Exclusive first pictures of the Antilles child, Syal Antilles (age 16 mos.), detail the lurid entangled affairs of the upper echelons of Rogue Squadron. (Continued pg. 7)_

_(Continued from pg. 1)_

_The romantic entanglement between the top officers of the New Republic’s premier starfighter unit have long been rumored. General Antilles and Colonel Tycho Celchu, Age 38, have been inseparable since the formation of the original Rogue Squadron. While both are considered to be top tacticians, neither has strayed far from the unit, or each other. Stories about their passionate affair were mostly silenced after Antilles married Iella Wessiri (Age 34) two years ago. However, with the revelation that Syal Antilles is indeed blonde, speculation abounds that Iella Wessiri is actually serving as a surrogate for the couple. Dr. Veesla Millyrd, a Rodian genetics professor at Dantooine Sector 4 Community College, explains. “The dark haired gene is dominate in humans. For a child to be blonde, both parents must carry the recessive gene. Ms. Antilles is obviously a carrier. The question is whether Gen. Antilles is carrying a recessive gene. He obviously has at least one dark haired gene, but the other could be a recessive blonde. If not, it is possible that the child is not his.” Instead, the child is more likely that of the blonde, handsome Col. Celchu. Stay with us to see whether this so called ‘marriage’ lasts or if young Syal will soon take her rightful place as the heir of Rogue Squadron’s finest._

***

Iella awoke to the sounds of breaking glass and crying baby. Retrieving her blaster from under the mattress, she careful proceeded to the living room. She was surprised to find only her husband, who was picking up pieces of window glass as he nursed his cup of caff. She retreated from the living room and appeared moments later, having exchanged her blaster for the tearful Syal. “What happened?” she asked as she gently bounced the quieting child. 

Wedge looked chagrined. “I threw my datapad at the window. I forgot it wasn’t transparisteel so instead of busting the datapad, I busted the window. You take care of Syal and I’ll clean up here and let Reina know that I’ll be buying her a new window for her cabin.” 

Iella arched her brow at her husband, not saying a word. After a few moments, Wedge relented. “It’s nothing. There’s a story on the holonet that I was none too pleased with.” 

Iella held out her hand until Wedge handed her the datapad he had just retrieved from the pile of glass. Silently, she read the story. Finally, she set the datapad down and concentrated on wiping the tears from Syal’s now sleepy face. “So, what are your plans?” 

Wedge sighed heavily, watching his wife and daughter. “Plan A is notifying Janson that a sludge journalist is picking on his favorite niece and watching as sludge journalists around the galaxy suddenly fall ill with a bad case of blaster wounds. Equally satisfying is Plan B, which entails informing Booster that his granddaughter is gossip fodder for the idle and indolent and watching as entire governments fall to a rogue Star Destroyer.” 

“Plan C?” Iella asked, giving Syal to Wedge so that she could start breakfast. 

“Plan C involves Daddy taking a short vacation from his vacation with a fully loaded X-Wing and raising a few office buildings on Coruscant.” 

“Plan D?” 

“Wraiths. Commando raid.” 

“Plan E?” 

Wedge gave his wife a half-hearted smile. “What, you didn’t like the first four plans?” 

Iella stopped stirring the batter and glared playfully. “I prefer to be a little more discrete. Leaving a piece of flaming wreckage may be Rogue Squadron’s style, but I don’t think it’s appropriate in this situation. So, General, what’s your real battle plan?” 

“I was going to contact Nawara Ven and ask him to look into one of those Privacy of a Minor edicts. Leia issued one for her children after they were born to keep the holojournalists and sludge reporters away. I just didn’t think it was necessary for Syal,” he said, trailing off. 

“Wedge, it’s not your fault,” Iella said softly, laying batter-smudged hand on Wedge’s arm. 

“Yes, it is.” Wedge stated with a frown. “I’m also going to place a call to Hallis Saper. She used to work in sludge and may have a few favors she may be able to pull to get this thing squashed for good. I have a feeling Winter may have already made some progress on her end.” 

Iella laughed at the though of her long time friend, Tycho’s fiancé and the Skywalker family nanny, spy, and analyst, having her revenge on the sludge reporter. “She’ll have help as soon as we get back from vacation.” 

Wedge looked up at his wife where she stood cooking; still looking sleep tussled, still looking beautiful. “Should we go back to Coruscant tonight? We’ll have more control over the situation there.” 

Iella shook her head. “No, we’re on vacation. Let’s enjoy the little time together we have. Besides, Syal’s not done making sand castles and mud pies.” 

Tickling his daughter’s stomach, he looked down at her bright blue eyes and her blonde Mohawk that was only just now starting to fill into full head of hair. “This is just the first wave, isn’t it?” he asked sadly. 

“Don’t tell me the Great General Wedge Antilles, He Who Hath Ice Water In His Veins is scared of a few reporters,” Iella teased gently. 

“No, not at all. I just wish we could find our little bit of peace instead of finding yet another war to fight, however bloodless this one might be.” 

“We’ve already found it, Wedge. We have each other.”

Syal giggled and gave her father a wet sloppy kiss. He smiled at his wife. “And that’s more than enough.” 


End file.
